♦ AVI LimitedAVI donated R1,125,000 in 2011 with which bursaries were allocated to 23 students at FETCs, Universities of Technology and Universities. The AVI Bursary Programme is one of the company’s major initiatives. This Programme distinguishes itself by the commitment of the company to its bursary beneficiaries.

The company arranges vacation work opportunities for all their bursars, and also provides graduate development positions to students who completed their studies. The company runs a volunteer industry mentor programme for its bursars and Studietrust employees are regularly benefitting from the mentor training offered by AVI’s Learning and Development department. Vacation work opportunities to non-AVI sponsored students are offered regularly through AVI’s Spitz and Kurt Geiger stores.

Studietrust works with some of the company’s other beneficiary programmes, e. g. the Kliptown project and Star Schools, providing bursaries for alumni of these programmes who do qualify for further and tertiary education.

♦ Coronation Fund ManagersIn 2011 we received bursary funding from Coronation to the amount of R701,000. 8 students were afforded full-cost bursaries from this contribution. The Coronation staff contributed towards an additional bursary.

Coronation cultivates a close relationship with its bursary beneficiaries, offering vacation work from the first year and taking an active interest in the further career of its alumni.

♦ The FNB Fund40 university students benefited from Studietrust's allocation of R1,529,800 from the FNB Fund in 2011. The Fund is administered by Tshikululu Social Investments and sponsors students in a wide range of study programmes at universities. The annual winter workshop during which bursars are exposed to the world of work in the FirstRand Group is very popular with students and regularly rated as a life-changing experience. Graduates from the Fund’s bursary programme are considered for the graduate programmes of FirstRand businesses.

♦ ImalivestThe investment company Imalivest contributed R100,000 towards bursary funding in 2011. 5 students received support from this donation.The Imalivest Studietrust Investment Company (ISIC) was established in November 2007 with capital of R100,000 in which Studietrust has a 40% share. ISIC is a vehicle for investments in BEE transactions.

♦ The Industrial Development CoorporationAn exciting new development occurred in 2012 when Studietrust won a tender to provide student mentoring and support services to the Bursary Programme of the IDC. This is the first time that we will not be involved in the management and administration of the bursaries but only in the support programme.

Investec granted R10,000 awards to learners participating in the ProMaths project who obtained distinctions in Mathematics and Physical Science in Grade 12. A total of R1 million was donated to fund awards to 105 students (some of the grantees received their awards in 2010 but could only commence with tertiary studies in 2011).

The Investec CSI Bursary Programme is in many ways a model of how such a programme should be managed. The Bank takes an active interest in its bursars, allocating industry mentors to each. These Bank employees have the opportunity to serve the mentee with sound career development advice and expose them to the world of work. Such is the positive impact of this approach that Studietrust intends to extend it to all its bursars. The mentor programme hosts an annual mentor appreciation day at the Bank where students meet with the Investec CEO, Mr Stephan Koseff, and have the opportunity to ask him questions. Mr Koseff sponsored one bursary in his private capacity. The beneficary of this gift, Mr Gillion Bosman, was featured as a young South African one should have lunch with in 2012.

The Work Readiness Programme held each year during the Winter holidays exposes students to the various divisions in the Bank and deal with issues such as personal branding, interview skills, CV writing, office etiquette, etc.

Investec also contributes hugely to the Studietrust bursary marketing drive by running an intensive annual media and social media campaign to canvas applicants for the Investec CSI Bursary Programme. In 2011 Studietrust received a total of 4933 applications of which 1226 responded to the Investec campaign. Of the 266 bursaries eventually allocated, 115 applied on Investec application forms. The greatest beneficiary of the Investec campaign was the Sasol Inzalo Foundation. In accordance with an arrangement with the Foundation, Investec made available to the SaIF all applications it received for Engineering and Science bursaries. In 2011 the SaIF allocated 146 new Engineering and Science bursaries of which 53 came through the Investec application channel.

From 2013 Studietrust will also manage the Investec IT Department’s Bursary Programme.

♦ Prudential Portfolio ManagersPrudential contributed R368,000 in 2011 towards bursary support of 6 university students. The company also funds school intervention programmes that serve as a feeder for Studietrust bursary oportunities.

♦ Rand Merchant BankStudietrust manages RMB’s Young Talent Acquisition Bursary Programme. This programme differs from the majority of the programmes we are involved with in that it is not a Corporate Social Investment initiative but is run by the Bank’s Human Capital division.

In 2011 RMB made available R2,303,107 towards bursary funding for 17 students.

The Bank’s Winter workshop plays a huge role in the professional development of its bursary beneficiaries.